An Illinois Senate panel has approved a bipartisan plan that authorizes local police departments and community partners to develop local strategies to fight the Illinois opioid crisis.

The Senate Human Services Committee on April 10 voted, 8-0, to advance legislation, Senate Bill 3023, that encourages local law enforcement to "deflect" from criminal arrest individuals who have overdosed or who have substance use problems, directing them instead into substance use disorder treatment.

The "Community-Law Enforcement Partnership for Deflection and Substance Use Disorder Treatment Act," sponsored by State Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) and State Senator Tim Bivins (R-Dixon), provides a "roadmap" for partnerships between law enforcement, substance use treatment providers, and community members to guide the development of deflection programs in their communities, according to one of the bill's chief proponents.

"Traditionally, local police have had two choices when faced with someone who they believe may have a substance use disorder-to arrest or to not arrest," said Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC) President Pamela Rodriguez. "With the opioid crisis raging across the state, deflection provides a third option, to connect people with community-based substance use treatment services that address their underlying substance use problems. This bill lays out a roadmap to municipalities, offering guidance, program features, and a range of options."

The number of Illinois overdose deaths from all opioids increased by 82% from 2013 to 2016.

This Saturday, my office will be participating in the Village of Lindenhurst's Annual Earth Day Celebration. It's a great event with a variety of different things to do and opportunities to recycle household goods.

Stop by the recycling exhibition between 10:00am and 1:00pm at the Lindenhurst Village Hall, 2301 E. Sand Lake Rd, Lindenhurst.

I will have a booth at the event where you can recycle used eyeglasses and hearing aids, but you can also recycle books, shoes, clothing, wire hangers, textiles and plastic bags at other booths.

If you have any questions, you can send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call my office 847-548-5631. And make sure to stay in touch on Facebook and Twitter.

State Sen. Melinda Bush of Grayslake is organizing a demonstration at the state Capitol to show unity with students protesting gun violence.

Bush has invited other senators and their staffers to join her in walking out of the Capitol at 10 a.m. Wednesday. That's when students across Illinois and the nation are set to leave their classrooms for 17 minutes, honoring the 17 people killed by a gunman Feb. 14 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Students at Barrington High, Lake Park High, Libertyville High, Stevenson High, Batavia High and Mundelein High are among those planning walkouts Wednesday, March 14.

Administrators at some schools have threatened disciplinary action against students who walk out of classes or leave their buildings. At other schools, however, administrators are supporting the teens' rights to protest and viewing the demonstrations as real-life civics lessons.

Bush said she's met with students from Grayslake and the Round Lake area in recent weeks about gun violence at schools and the planned protests, and she wanted to participate.

"I stand firmly with students who exercise their constitutional right to speak out," Bush said in her invitation, which she shared with the media. "If you have heard these students and believe that we must have honest, bipartisan conversations about gun safety, I am asking you to join me in a show of solidarity."

CHICAGO – Lawmakers on Monday threatened to drag in Ford Motors supervisors and management and demanded Gov. Bruce Rauner not purchase Ford vehicles for the state after hearing testimony from workers who suffered sexual harassment at local plants.

“The fact that assault, abuse, discrimination and retaliation are just part of the job for women at Chicago’s two Ford plants is astounding,” said Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake). “No one should ever have to experience the things these women did, let alone at work. Ford management and United Automobile Workers representatives have not only failed to protect these women and ensure they have a safe work environment, they have in many cases been the perpetrators of abuse and harassment.”

Over the past several decades, female employees at Ford Motors’ two Chicago plants have reported incidences of sexual harassment, assault, discrimination and retaliation, resulting in a string of lawsuits and an investigation by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and commitments from Ford to crack down on the problem. Despite all of this, female employees are still experiencing harassment and discrimination at Ford, they told lawmakers.

“I intend to do everything in my power to hold Ford management and UAW representatives accountable,” Bush said. “I hope that the governor puts a halt on state purchasing of Ford vehicles until Ford takes real action and the victims receive justice.”

Members of the Senate Sexual Discrimination and Harassment Awareness and Prevention Task Force, co-chaired by Sen. Bush, heard testimony during Monday’s hearing on labor issues and sexual harassment. The task force was created in response to the recent wave of harassment allegations in Illinois and throughout the country. The group is conducting a comprehensive review of the legal and social consequences of sexual harassment and discrimination, and will make recommendations on how to combat them in Illinois.